A WOMAN was rescued by firefighters from her blazing home - only to be attacked an hour later.

Mystery surrounds the incident today after the woman, who had returned to her flat in Mapleton Drive, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, following the fire rescue, was then taken to hospital suffering stab wounds and a cut to her neck.

The 34-year-old woman called for help at around 11pm yesterday after she woke up to flames and smoke in the living room of her home, where she had been asleep on the sofa.

Fire crews say the blaze was caused by a cushion which was too close to an electric heater.

The woman became trapped in the porch entrance of the flat when she could not find a key, and fire crews had to break down the door to get her to safety.

The woman was treated by paramedics at the scene but refused hospital treatment.

Coulby Newham Fire Station Watch Manager Darran Farndale said: “She woke to find the room full of smoke and flames in front of her.

“She managed to get to the front porch but the door was locked and she couldn’t find the key.

“She contacted our control room, who kept her on the phone and kept her calm, and they stayed in touch with us so we knew where she was when we got there.

“She was actually breathing through the cat-flap.”

One fire engine and an emergency tender from Coulby Station plus two engines from Thornaby Station attended, and crews broke down the front door to rescue the stricken woman before tackling the blaze.

But just over an hour later, at 12.40am today, police received a report of an attack at the same address.

A police spokeswoman said the same woman was taken to James Cook University Hospital where she received treatment for a laceration to the neck before being released.

Police officers were guarding the flat at the front and rear this morning.

Both sides were cordoned off with police tape.

One neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, said she saw a fire engine outside the home.

“There was a bit of commotion but nothing major,” she said.

“I don’t know what’s happened.”

Cleveland Police are not treating the fire as suspicious. A 49-year-old man from Hemlington was arrested in connection with the attack and was today in police custody.